Vale: David Frost

The veteran journalist and broadcaster died from a heart attack while making a speech on a cruise ship, his family said.

During a stellar career, Frost interviewed royalty, prime ministers, celebrities, newsmakers, sports stars and business leaders -including President Richard Nixon in 1977 who, for the first time conceded some fault over Watergate.

A statement said: “His family are devastated and ask for privacy at this difficult time. A family funeral will be held in the near future and details of a memorial service will be announced in due course.”

Frost became a trainee at ITV before finding fame as the host of pioneering TV political satire show That Was The Week That Was. “Hello, good evening and welcome,” became his catchphrase.

The programme ran on the BBC during 1962 and 1963, before transferring to the US.

From then on Frost was a regular TV figure on both sides of the Atlantic, with shows including The Frost Report and Not So Much A Programme, More a Way of Life.

Amongst numerous television shows were Frost on Sunday, Breakfast with Frost, and Through the Keyhole.

He also interviewed Australians, including Gough Whitlam and Kerry Packer.

Frost also helped establish London Weekend Television and TV-am and was knighted in 1993.

10 Comments:

What a huge loss, he certainly leaves a legacy for other tv interviewers out there on how to turn up the heat on your subject. I would highly recommend the movie ‘Frost/Nixon’ to anyone interested in his pivotal moment in interviewing or in politics in general.

I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead, but my memory of Frost is of when Seven brought him out here in 1973 to do a series of specials. One of them was Australian Humour which had the audience and guests telling “jokes”. It descended into an orgy of gay bashing and effeminate stereotyping. I realise those were the prevailing attitudes at the time and such “jokes” were common, but it was still very confronting and severely harmed Frost’s reputation IMHO.

A legend lost. So bad. No one like him. Since 2006 we’ve been able to enjoy his programs Frost Over the World and The Frost Interview on Al Jazeera. He did interview Julia Gillard, but not Kevin or Tony. Still have some of his Australian shows on Betamax. Yes, lol, but superior to VHS.